


Coming Back to You

by ShiloBarns



Series: What We Live For [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Aged-Up Eren Yeager, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cadets have dog tags for identification, Canon Era, M/M, Reunions, Slight-Angst, eren is 18, pocket watches exist for reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:01:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26559382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShiloBarns/pseuds/ShiloBarns
Summary: Levi hears the distant shouts before the scout stumbles into his office and announces the group’s return. Levi immediately waves the bumbling boy off before signing his last piece of paperwork and sets his pen down on his desk. He feels it coming, the red hot rage mixed with cool relief, but holds it back. He’s apparently back, presumably in one piece, having succeed in his suicide mission.Eren...
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Series: What We Live For [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931566
Comments: 3
Kudos: 107





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place a few weeks after the events of [After All This Time](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26524009). I suggest reading that first, as it provides some back story to the state of Levi and Eren's relationship.

Levi hears the distant shouts before the scout stumbles into his office and announces the group’s return. Levi immediately waves the bumbling boy off before signing his last piece of paperwork and sets his pen down on his desk. He feels it coming, the red hot rage mixed with cool relief, but holds it back. He’s apparently back, presumably in one piece, having succeed in his suicide mission. 

_Eren._

That bastard. Levi wouldn’t be fighting back this intense rage of emotions if that brat had actually listened to him and had never left in the first place. Levi sighs, stands, and slips on his jacket as he makes his way to the window. Sure enough, he sees a gaggle of green cloaks and tan jackets approaching the main courtyard.

Eren had been gone four days, having left on a mission to search for a group of new cadets that had been forcefully separated from the group on the last scouting mission. When they had returned to base, Eren had confronted Levi. Had begged, pleaded with him to launch a rescue mission. They had argued until Levi snapped and said if Eren wanted to sacrifice himself for a bunch of nobody new cadets, then he should just go ahead and do it. And he did. Eren had left with a few other cadets just mere hours after they had returned from the initial mission. 

Four days of pure titan country and wondering if Levi would ever see Eren again, and now the brat was back. By the looks of the crowd gathering, Eren had been somewhat successful in locating the lost cadets. 

Levi turns from the window and makes his way out of the office. He strides quickly through the corridors and soon steps into the bright mid-morning sun where he is greeted by the excited chatter of the surrounding scouts. 

“I heard he single handedly brought down 10 titans,” whispers the blonde haired scout to Levi’s left. 

His friend turns to him with wide eyes and says “What! No way.” Both of them jump and snap into a salute as they notice Levi approaching. He ignores them and continues to school his expression. He needs to be calm and collected for when that bastard finally comes into view. 

The gaggle of newly returned scouts moves into the square as Levi steps in front of the gathered crowd.

There’s Eren, walking at the front of his merry band of misfits, one of the cadet’s arms thrown around his shoulder as he half carries, half drags them along. 

“Eren!”

Levi turns, not surprised to see Armin pushing his way through the crowd behind him. Armin stops just short of the captain, panting, obviously having ran to meet Eren as soon as he had heard the shouts. 

The returning scouts stop in front of Levi as the crowd behind him seemingly holds their breath until Levi finally speaks. 

“Cadet Arlert” Levi clips out, staring pointedly past Eren’s left shoulder to the group of cadets standing behind him. 

He can hear Armin startle as he chokes out a surprised “Captain?”

“Relieve Cadet Yeager of his charge and take the wounded to the medical wing.”

Armin hesitates slightly before walking forward and gently lifting the wounded cadet off of Eren’s shoulders. 

Levi addresses the group of scouts behind Eren, “The rest of you follow Arlert to the medical wing with any additional wounded.” Seconds go by as no one moves, clearly expecting the captain to say something more. “ _Now_!” he snaps, and turns his head to the side to bark at the onlookers “The rest of you back to work!”

All of the other scouts immediately disperse, heads bowed low as they try to avoid the captains glare.

When Levi turns back to face forward, unsurprisingly, the only person remaining is Eren. He stands in front of Levi with a slightly fearful expression. Understandable, after all, it’s been four days and their last conversation had been a screaming match that had ended in Eren leaving on a suicide mission and Levi putting his fist through the mirror in his washroom. 

“Levi...” Eren starts before he trails off. Their first conversation in four days. Four days in which Levi had wondered if Eren would ever come back. If Levi should have just said okay. Wondering what could have been if he hadn’t been such a coward in the first place, and had taken a chance. They hadn’t talked about what they were, or what was happening between them since Eren had cornered him in that hallway. A few weeks later, the mission had happened, they had fought, and Eren had left. 

Eren now stands in front of Levi once again, only slightly worse for wear. Levi can feel the emotions that have been building since he had looked out the window in his office start to overflow. Eren still waits, but Levi isn’t confident in his ability to speak for much longer. 

Still not meeting Eren’s gaze, Levi bites out a short “I will deal with you later” and turns to walk back into the main building. He can feel Eren’s eyes watching him until he steps over the threshold and turns to take the shortest path back to his office. 

Levi doesn’t notice the cadets that stop and scramble out of his way as he stomps past. He wouldn’t care either. The bubble in his stomach has lodged in his throat and threatens to break his carefully crafted mask. Levi enters his office and immediately slams the door. He stands in silence for a few moments before he breaks.

Levi can’t control the violent sob that wrenches its way out of his throat, the white hot rage from earlier turning into sobs of relief. He clasps his hands over his mouth in a feeble attempt to control his emotions. Levi steps further into his office, shedding his jacket as the temperature around him slowly builds. He rips off his cravat and throws it aside before attempting to unbutton his shirt. Still sobbing, he nearly rips off half of his buttons as he scrambles to lessen the heat and kicks off his boots on his way to the washroom. 

Levi reaches desperately into the wash basin and splashes cold water on his face. He does it again and again until he can feel that the front of his shirt is soaked through. When he raises his head he sees the broken mirror. The one he had smashed his first into in anger four days ago after he had yelled at Eren, and Eren had left.

The spider-like cracks distort his image, but Levi can still see his puffy eyes, and tear stained face. The reminder from the mirror and his broken reflection only cause more sobs to bubble up. 

Levi lowers his head back down to the wash basin as cries escape his throat. He collapses against the cabinets and sinks unceremoniously to the floor, his cries echoing in the small space. Minutes, hours, go by as Levi sobs his relief away into his hands. 

After a considerable amount of time, Levi starts to heave dry sobs until the only thing left to stop is the shaking of his hands. He leans his head back onto the wall behind him as he wills the tremors to subside. 

Propping his arms on his drawn up knees, Levi breathes deeply. He knows they need to talk, especially since the last thing Levi said to Eren was the equivalent of ‘I don’t give a fuck about what happens to you,’ which obviously isn’t true. 

Ever since Eren’s confession in the hallway, things had been different. The tension was still there, it was just different. Eren had kept his promise, and had been giving Levi time to collect his thoughts and come to terms with his feelings. The weeks before the mission had been just as full of lingering touches and stolen glances as before their talk, but they had held more meaning. Both had acknowledged the presence of something more between them. 

Levi huffs a sigh and rubs his hands down his face. He stands, and avoiding his broken reflection, returns to his office. Levi straightens the shoes he had haphazardly kicked off earlier and retrieves his jacket from the floor before draping it over the back of his chair. He slumps down behind his desk and puts his head in his hands. Whatever happens, will evidently need to happen tomorrow, as Levi is currently feeling too exposed, _too broken_. 

He needs time and sleep in order to completely calm down and collect his thoughts, but time is a cruel mistress and sleep doesn’t come easily that night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knows they’ll need to talk about what happened between them eventually. Levi had been too consumed with his emotions yesterday to say many words, never mind hold a coherent conversation. Guess there’s no better time than the present.

Levi wakes with the sunrise, having passed out in his office chair as usual. He doesn’t even know why he keeps a cot in his room when he never uses it. Levi slowly sits up and stretches his arms above his head. Shaking out his stiff joints and rolling his neck, he pushes back in his chair and stands. Levi wrinkles his nose in disgust at his state of dress. Shirt half untucked, severely wrinkled, with several buttons hanging by a thread. 

He steps out from behind his desk and walks to his closet. Levi opens the door, sheds his rumpled shirt, and exchanges it for a new one. He buttons up his new shirt and tucks it in as he turns to look for his shoes. He finds them lined up on the floor, and as he puts them on, glances into the nearby wash room. Levi can see the puddles that still remain on the floor, he wrinkles his nose again but turns away. He searches the room for his cravat and glances out of the window as he passes by it. _Shit_. He can see some cadets milling about doing various tasks as they start their day. That means it’s later than he thought, probably near the end of breakfast. He’s honestly surprised that no one had come to knock on his door yet. Actually, it’s not that surprising, the only people who seemingly aren’t scared of him are Erwin, Hange, and… Eren. 

Levi sighs and stoops down to scoop up the crinkled mess of his cravat. He takes one look, deems it beyond saving, and decides just this once to forgo it. 

Levi steps back behind his desk, laying a hand on the coat draped across the back of his chair. Eren would probably still be in the mess hall with the other scouts in Levi’s squad given yesterday’s events. He knows they’ll need to talk about what happened between them eventually. Levi had been too consumed with his emotions yesterday to say many words, never mind hold a coherent conversation. Guess there’s no better time than the present.

A sigh resonates around the room as Levi pulls the jacket off of his chair. He slips it on and starts for the door. The hallways are silent as he makes his way to the mess hall with only a handful of scouts who immediately scamper out of his way as he walks past. As he walks the halls, Levi starts to become less sure of himself. Will Eren even want to talk? He has just as much of a right as Levi to be angry, they had both said some pretty horrible things in the heat of the moment. Then again, Levi wasn’t the one who had disobeyed a direct order and ignored any semblance of common sense to go charging headfirst into hostile territory. Levi’s hesitation morphs into irritation. 

Still, when he reaches the doors of the mess hall, he hesitates. Levi had kept a pretty stiff expression on his face yesterday, so he’s sure the cadets wouldn’t have been able to see exactly how much emotion he had been feeling. However, right now he was tired of the 24/7 game of tug of war he had been playing with his feelings. Levi takes a deep breath, wrenches the door of the dining hall open, crosses the threshold, and locks eyes with Eren. 

Eren is sitting at a table in the back of the room, with his back to the window. Armin sits to his left, white Mikasa sits in front of him. As soon as Levi had stepped in, Eren had looked up and done a double take. Eren’s friends continue to chat, oblivious to the new arrival. Levi stops just inside the door, the emotions from yesterday once again swirling in his gut. Levi tamps down the feelings of relief and anxiety, but lets the anger and irritation rise to the surface. His brows start to drift together, molding his face into a glare. Eren’s eyes widen as Levi starts to stalk towards him. 

As he approaches the table, Armin finally looks up, stalling in his conversation with Mikasa. Both freeze as Levi stops in front of them. 

“Captain?” comes Armin’s hesitant and shaky voice. 

Levi ignores him and bites out a “ _Yaeger_.”

Eren jumps up to address him with a “Sir?” 

At the sound of Eren’s voice, Levi’s anger is renewed. His frown deepens as he says “Come with me.” 

Eren startles, clearly not expecting his curt reply. He hesitates and looks around, “Captain, I’m not sure…” 

Levi’s anger boils over. He grabs the front of Eren’s shirt and cloak in one of his fists and forcefully yanks him out from behind the table, and starts across the mess hall. Levi can hear Eren stumbling behind him. He can also hear the rising chatter of the other cadets in the room. Still pulling Eren behind him, Levi shouts an “ _As you were!_ ” to the now startled group of cadets watching the display. Levi flings open the door and pulls Eren across the threshold. 

The captain drags Eren down the nearest hallway, all the while ignoring his frantic questioning. When they reach the end of the deserted hall, Levi stops and shoves Eren up against the nearest wall.

Eren starts “Listen Captain, I-” he gets three words out before a slap echoes down the hall. Levi is still fuming as Eren raises a hand to his reddened cheek and continues, “Yeah, okay, maybe I deserved that.”

Levi scoffs, his expression morphing from anger, to irritation, to an emotion Eren can’t quite place. 

Eren starts again, “I’m sorry, I know-” He doesn’t get far that time either. Only instead of slapping him, Levi closes the last few feet between them, grabs Eren by his collar, and yanks him down into a bruising kiss. Eren freezes at the contact as Levi presses against him harder. Eren’s back hits the wall, breaking him out of his freeze. 

The cadet’s hands come up to frame Levi’s face as he finally kisses him back. They push and pull against each other, gasping as they kiss with fervor. Levi can hear Eren’s stuttering breaths, and Eren can feel the shaking of Levi’s hands where they pull him close. A myriad of emotions are passed between the pair as they kiss. Residual anger and animosity from the fight so many days ago bleeds away as relief runs out of every pore. Their movements slow and Eren gently presses one final kiss to Levi’s lips before he starts to pull away. His thumbs rising to brush against the bags under Levi’s eyes in an attempt to wipe away the moisture that had started to accumulate. Levi hadn’t even realized he had started crying. 

Eren finishes running his thumbs across Levi’s cheeks and speaks gently, “Hey, Levi, look at me.” Eren hears him take a shaky breath, but Levi eventually looks up to meet Eren’s soft gaze. “I’m here, I’m back, I’m okay.” 

A lone tear makes its way down Levi’s face as Eren pulls him close again. Levi crumples into Eren’s chest and buries his face into his neck. Eren’s arms wrap securely around Levi’s shaking frame as they crowd close, almost exactly like they had all those weeks ago. Levi’s breaths start to settle as he tries to calm down. He can hear Eren’s heartbeat through his chest. A gentle reminder that Eren is in fact. He made it back to Levi in one piece. 

After a few quiet minutes, Levi pushes away but he doesn’t go far. His hands migrate from the center of Eren’s chest to gently smooth down his collar. 

Levi feels the rumble as Eren speaks, “Are you okay?” 

Levi gives a wet huff of laughter, and Eren’s hands move to frame Levi’s jaw as he gently lifts his head so their eyes can meet. Eren waits a few more moments before saying “Can we talk about it?”

One of Levi’s hands comes up to rest against one of Eren’s as the other slips his pocket watch out of his coat. Levi checks the time. _Crap_. He was supposed to be meeting with Erwin for a reconnaissance meeting in only a few minutes. Levi doesn’t even want to imagine what Erwin would say if he had to come looking for Levi. 

Eren sees the winkle forming on Levi’s forehead and asks “Is everything okay?” 

Levi clicks his watch shut and says plainly, “I have a meeting.”

Eren starts to speak, but Levi cuts him off with a hand to his cheek, “Hey, this isn’t over okay.” The younger cadet looks away as Levi continues “We’ll talk about this later.” Eren continues to avoid his gaze until Levi pulls him back with a soft, “I promise.” Eren nods and starts to pull away. 

Levi stops him with a hand on his collar, “Hey, this doesn’t mean you get off scot free brat.” 

Eren can see the teasing glint in Levi’s eyes as he huffs a laugh, “Understood, Captain.”

The corners of Levi’s lips twitch as he leans in to press a gentle kiss to Eren’s lips. He pulls back slightly, and laughs at how Eren attempts to follow him. 

Levi moves close again. “I expect a full report of your ‘mission’ on my desk by 11pm tonight,” he whispers into Eren’s lips. Eren’s eyes shoot open in disbelief, as Levi smirks and pulls away. The hand on Eren’s collar unclasps his cloak, and Levi pulls it off his shoulders as he starts to turn towards the end of the hallway. Eren’s cloak slips off his frozen frame and Levi drapes it over his own shoulders as he saunters down the hallway. 

Eren snaps out of his stupor, and groans as he lets his head thump back on the wall. Levi can feel Eren’s eyes follow him down the hall until he turns the corner.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door opens and Eren steps in. The quiet click of the door closing echoes in the silence. Levi watches as Eren steps forward and sets a stack of papers on his desk. The reports that Levi had asked for earlier. Levi had forgotten about them.

Levi sits at his desk, proof reading the reports that Erwin had asked for in that morning’s meeting. Throughout that entire meeting, Levi had been thinking of Eren. He doesn’t regret what he did. He’s sure that this is what he wants, but he’s not so sure about Eren. 

Does he even still feel the same way about Levi? God, maybe he shouldn’t have just kissed him out of the blue like that. What if he’s freaked out now? What if Levi has finally scared him off. What if-

A knock at his door cuts off Levi’s next thought. He clears his throat, “Come in.”

The door opens and Eren steps in. The quiet click of the door closing echoes in the silence. Levi watches as Eren steps forward and sets a stack of papers on his desk. The reports that Levi had asked for earlier. Levi had forgotten about them. 

Levi looks up from the reports as Eren starts to speak. 

“Can I start first?” Eren takes Levi’s silence as assent, “I understand you’re upset that I disobeyed your orders.”

Levi raises his eyebrows. 

Eren continues, “I couldn’t just let them die.”

“You didn’t even know if they were alive.”

“I- Yeah you’re right. I didn’t know for sure, but even if you don’t think it, they’re smarter than they look. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t.” 

Levi sighs and stands. He rounds his desk to stand in front of Eren. “Eren you didn’t just disregard my orders and endanger yourself, you put our entire mission, the whole reason the scouts are here, in jeopardy.” 

“Levi, I-”

Levi raises a hand to gently silence him. “What would happen to our plans to expand the walls and take back the overrun cities if you went and got yourself killed?”

Eren falls silent then says, “I didn’t think of that.”

Levi sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I know.” He looks around his office and then back at Eren who’s staring resolutely at the floor. “Eren,” Levi starts gently, “For once, be selfish with your own life. You’re more valuable to humanity alive than dead.”

Levi looks away and clears his throat. “More valuable to me.”

Eren looks up from the floor. Levi’s face heats up as Eren takes one of Levi’s hands in his own and presses it to his chest. Levi can feel Eren’s heartbeat through his palm. 

“Levi, my feelings for you haven’t changed, but I can’t keep running after you if you’re just going to keep pushing me away.” 

Levi looks at their hands and says, “I know.” He looks back up and shakes his head, “I’m not pushing you away. Not anymore.” 

Eren leaves Levi’s hand on his chest as he brings his own up to frame the Captain’s face. He tilts Levi’s face up towards him and steps closer. Eren leans in to rest his head against Levi’s, but he’s stopped before their lips touch.

Levi says, “I promise to stop pushing you away,” he pauses and swallows, “as long as you promise to keep coming back to me.” 

Eren smiles and leans in to give Levi a chaste kiss. “I promise.” 

This time Levi leans in. They press together gently and Levi’s other hand runs up Eren’s chest to tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck. Eren hums against Levi’s lips and wraps his arms around his waist. They part for air and Eren smiles. 

Levi looks up, “What?”

“Nothing.”

Levi raises his eyebrows. 

“I’m just glad I didn’t die.”

Levi scoffs and rolls his eyes, “I’m glad you didn’t die either you brat.”

Eren’s smile widens and he pulls Levi back into his embrace. They stand there for a few minutes before Eren says, “What now?”

Levi pulls back, “Now, it’s time to sleep.”

Eren stands still as Levi drops his arms from around Eren’s neck and turns away. Eren says, “What?”

“I spent four whole days not knowing if you were alive or dead. All i could think about was you never coming back and dying because I couldn’t get my shit together. I’m tired.” Levi stops next to the cot that Eren’s never seen him use before and toes off his shoes.  
Eren follows after him with a sheepish smile. Levi removes his jacket and Odm straps as he gesture’s for Eren to do the same. Eren takes off his boots and jacket and almost stumbles as Levi turns him around so his back is to the bed. Eren looks down at Levi questioningly. Levi steps forward and presses his lips to Eren’s as his arms come up to rest on the cadet’s neck. Eren pulls him closer by his hips as he starts to deepen the kiss. 

Levi pulls back before he can and slips his fingers underneath the collar of Eren’s shirt. Levi locates the chain around Eren’s neck and gently pulls it out. Eren’s standard issue dog tags clink lightly as they come to rest against his chest. 

Levi looks up at Eren as his hands fiddle with the clasp at the nape of his neck. It unhooks with a gentle click and Levi pulls the chain towards him. Eren’s confused expression softens as Levi rehooks the dog tags around his own neck. The silver glints against his chest in the light produced by the candles in Levi’s office. 

Eren’s hand leaves Levi’s waist and he runs his fingers down the chain to thumb gently at the dog tags now resting around Levi’s neck. He can just barely read his name and hometown in the flickering light. The hand reaches up to Levi’s face and pulls him in again. 

This kiss is just as gentle as the others. Lips part briefly for air as Levi pushes forwards. The back of Eren’s legs hit the edge of the cot, causing him to fall backwards.

Levi climbs on the bed and throws a leg over Eren’s waist. Eren reaches up with both hands and pulls Levi back down into a kiss. The dog tags around Levi’s neck drop to rest back onto Eren’s chest. 

They kiss for a few minutes before Levi pulls back. He runs a thumb over one of Eren’s cheeks as Eren looks up at him. Levi leans in again and kisses him once before shifting to the right to curl up against Eren’s side. 

Eren’s arm slips behind Levi’s back to hold him close as Levi settles against his chest. Eren rubs his hand along Levi’s arm as Levi’s hand clutches at the dog tags around his neck. Levi hums and nuzzles closer. 

This is it. The shift. The point they had been waiting so long to get to. The air settles around them as they lay close on the cot. 

Levi knows this isn’t the end. He knows there will be a lot more to discuss in the future. He’s still pretty pissed at Eren, but he knows that he’s not exactly in the right either. But right now, Levi just wants to bask in the moment. 

Levi glances up at Eren’s face. His eyes are closed and Levi can hear the slowing of his heart beat. Levi smiles and looks down at the metal in his hand. 

He’d taken the dog tags on a whim. It used to be something that couples would do back when Levi was a cadet. They wore each other's dog tags so that each would have a piece of the other with them when they were apart. It had been mildly mortifying when Levi had done it to Eren, but he’s glad he did it.

Levi sighs, drops the dog tags and snakes his arm over Eren’s waist, pulling him closer. Levi’s exhaustion catches up to him and he can feel his consciousness slipping. Eren’s warmth and steady heart beats lull Levi into a half awake, half asleep state. 

Whatever the future brings for them, they can handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who's made it this far. There is one more work I have already written to post in this series but I don't have any concrete ideas for any other additional works. I am open to suggestions, so don't be afraid to drop a comment with any suggestions or ideas!


End file.
